Electrical apparatus



JlU'lU F1 P 85 U 2 Feb. 21, 1967 A. LEGER, JR

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed NOV. 27, 1963 FIG,2

COUNTER N PUTS R .J R R u WE m fl N W T .L A

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,305,736 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Alton Leger, Jr., Roslyn, Pa., assignor to Honeywell Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,494 4 Claims. (Cl. 30788.5)

This invention relates to electrical switches, More specifically, the present invention relates to non-contacting signal commutators.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved non-contacting sign'al switching commutator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved signal commutator using Hall-effect devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a non contacting signal commutator using Hall-effect devices.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a signal commutator using Hall-effect devices for successively and individually switching a plurality of input signals to a common output terminal.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a Hall-effect signal commutator utilizing either magnetic field or current input signals.

Still another further object of the present invention is to provide a Hall-effect signal commutator, as set forth herein, having a simple operation and construction.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided a Hall-effect non-contacting signal commutator utilizing a Hall-plate apparatus which is arranged to be successively energized by input signals represented by a plurality of magnetic fields. In one there is provided a plurality of magnetic devices operative to supply magnetic field input signals and a Hall-plate which is successively introduced into cooperation with each of a plurality of magnetic field input signals. In another embodiment of the invention, the Hall-plate apparatus is a plurality of Hall-plates with their output terminals connected together to a common terminal. The input signals are applied as respective magnetic fields and the Hall-plates are successively energized by respective ones of a plurality of corresponding energizingcurrent signals sequentially operated by a control signal counting means.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had when the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial repersentation of one embodiment of a Hall-plate commutator embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a Hall-plate commutator also embodying the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a Hall-plate commutator having a Hall-plate I mounted on an arm 2 mounted perpendicular to a rotatably driven shaft 3. The Hall-plate 1 is mounted on the surface of the arm 2 and electrically insulated therefrom if the arm 2 is made from an electrically conductive material. The current and output signal connections are made to the terminals of the Hall-plate 1 by connecting wires. The current connections are applied over 'a pair of wires 4 which are run along the surface of the arm 1 and shaft 3 and electrically insulated therefrom, if necessary, as mentioned above. The wires 4 are terminated in a magnetic winding 5 mounted to encircle one end of the shaft 3. A supply winding 6 is arranged to magnetically cooperate with the winding 5 to connect it to a pair of current supply terminals 7.

Similarly, the output signal connections from the Hallplate 1 are made over a pair of connecting wires 8 to an output winding 9, pick-up winding 10 annd output termi- 3,305,736 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 nals 11. The shaft 3 is arranged to be rotatably driven by any suitable means, not shown, to swing the arm 1 in a predetermined circle. Arranged on the periphery of this circle are a plurality of similar magnetic field producing devices 12, 13, 14, and 15. Taking the first device 12 'as an example, it comprises a core element 16 and a winding 17 connected to a pair of input terminals 18. The devices 12, 13, 14, and 15 are arranged to allow the Hallplate 1 to successively cooperate with the magnetic field produced by their windings in their respective core elements. Thus, as the arm 2 and Hall-plate 1 is swung in its predetermined circle, the Hall-plate 1 is successively 'and individually subjected to the magnetic fields from the devices 12, 13, 14, and 15.

Separate input signals are applied to the input signal terminals of each of the devices 12, 13, 14, and 15 to develop corresponding magnetic fields. A suitable current for energizing the Hall-plate 1 is applied through the current terminals 7, winding 6, winding 5 and wires 4 to the Hall-plate 1. As the energized Hall-plate 1 is swung by the arm 2 to successively cooperate with each of the core elements of the devices 12, 13, 14, and 15, the respective magnetic fields will successively and individually produce a corresponding output signal from the Hall-plate 1. This succession of output signals is applied, via conductors 8 and windings 9 and 10, to the output terminals 11. Thus, each of the input signals applied to the windings of the devices 12, 13, 14, and 15 is commutated only when the Hall-plate 1 is in magnetic field association with the corresponding one of the devices 12, 13, 14, and 15.

In FIG. 2, there is shown a Hall-plate commutator also embodying the present invention and having 'a plurality of Hall-plates 20, 21, 22, and 23. Each of these Hall plates has two pairs of connections; e.g., the first Hallplate 20 has a pair of current input connections 25 and a pair of connections for the Hall-voltage output signal to output terminals 26. Each of the Hall-plates 20', 21, 22, and 23 has magnetically associated with it a magneticfield producing means. Thus, magnetic field producing means 27, 28, 29, and 30 are operatively associated with Hall-plates 20, 21, 22, and 23, respectively. The field producing means 27, 28, 29, and 30 are each connected to separate corresponding input signal terminals of input device 35. The input current connections for each Hallplate are connected to separate output terminals on a counter 31. The counter 31 may be any suitable device for successively energizing a series of output terminals in response to a succession of input signals applied thereto. The counter 31 has a pair of input terminals 32 for connection to a source of signals to be counted to step the counter 31. The output terminals of the Hall-plates 20, 21, 22, and 23 are connected in series with the end terminals of the series string being connected to a pair of commutator output terminals 33.

In operation, the counter 31 is driven by input signals thereto to successively supply current signals to the current connection of the Hall-plates 20, 21, 22, and 23. For example, energization of current connection 25 by the counter 31 is effective to provide a current for Hall-plate 20 which current is terminated on a successive count operation by the counter 31 and the next current connection is now energized to provide a current for the second Hallplate 21. Thus, the energizing current signals are applied to the successive current input terminals of the Hallplates 20, 21, 22, and 23. The input signals applied to windings 27, 28, 29, and 30 are successively and individually transferred to the output terminals of the corresponding Hall-plate energized by the current from counter 31. These output terminals are connected in series to connect each Hall-plate output signal to the common output terminals 33. The impedances of the current-wise unenergized Hall-plates output paths are sufiiciently low to allow the output signal from the Hall-plate energized by the counter 31 to pass therethrough to the output terminals 33. Thus, the input signals to each of the Hall-plates 20, 21, 22, and 23 are successively and individually enabled to appear on the respective Hall-plate output terminals. These successive output signals are conducted through the magnetically unenergized Hall-plates to appear as a succession of commutated signals on the output terminals 33. It is to be noted that an alternative arrangement would be to have the input signals supply the currents to the respective Hall-plates while input device 35, similar to counter 31, successively energized the windings 27, 28, 29, and 30.

Accordingly, it may be seen that there has been pro vided, in accordance with the present invention, a Hallplate commutator for successively and individually commutating a plurality of input signals to common output terminals utilizing either magnetic field or current input 2. A signal commutator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises signal counter means having a plurality of outputs successively energized in response to a succession of input signals thereto, said outputs being connected to respective ones of said magnetic-field means.

3. A signal commutator as set forth in claim 1 which includes a common pair of output terminals, and circuit means connecting output terminals of said Hall-plates to said common output terminals.

4. A signal commutator as recited in claim 1 including signal counter means, said signal counter means having a plurality of outputs which may be selectively energized, said plurality of terminals being connected to said plurality of current input signal terminals, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1950 Hansen 324-45 X 3/1963 Ratajski 310-219 

1. A SIGNAL COMMUTATOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HALLPLATES, A PLURALITY OF CURRENT INPUT SIGNAL TERMINALS CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID HALL-PLATES, A PLURALITY OF MAGNETIC-FIELD PRODUCING MEANS EACH OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID HALL-PLATES, AND MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY ENERGIZING EACH OF SAID MAGNETIC-FIELD MEANS. 